Locking device

ABSTRACT

A locking device (1) for locking an article (2) relative to a support (3), wherein the locking device (1) includes at least two locking members (4, 6) having grooves (8, 9), anchored to the support (3) and at least two locking members (5, 7), having projections (10, 11), anchored to the article (2). The locking members (5, 7) are brought to cooperate with the locking members (4, 6) by inserting the projections (10, 11) into the grooves (8, 9) and displacing the projections (10, 11) therein in a direction of displacement (F) whereby at least two locking members (4, 5) cooperating with each other can be locked relative to each other by locking means (14) to prevent relative displacement of the locking members (4, 5) in the direction of displacement (F). The locking members (4, 6) are designed and provided such that the groove (8) of one locking member (4) is open in a side direction (S1) relative to the direction of displacement (F), while the groove (9) of locking member (6) is open in the opposite side direction (S2) relative to the direction of displacement (F). The locking members (5, 7) are designed such that the projection (11) of locking member (7) is directed in a side direction (Sl) relative to the direction of displacement (F), while the projection (10) of locking member (5) is directed in the opposite side direction (S2). The projections (10, 11) protrude from the inside and outward into the corresponding grooves (8, 9).

The present invention relates to a locking device for locking on objectrelative to a support, which locking device includes at least twolocking members anchored to the support and at least two locking membersanchored to the object, whereby two of said locking members have groovesand the two other locking members have projections, whereby the lockingmembers having the projections can be brought to cooperate with thelocking members having the grooves by inserting said projections intosaid grooves and displace said projections therein in a direction ofdisplacement and whereby at least two locking members cooperating witheach other can be locked relative to each other by means of at least onelocking means to prevent relative displacement of said locking membersin the direction of displacement.

From SE patent specification 8400972-9 (438 174), GB patentspecification 2 153 902 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,024,737, locking devices ofthe above type are already known.

A problem with these prior art constructions is however, that thelocking members can not be seen if large objects, e.g. computers, arelocked by means of said members. This because large objects hide thelocking members and it can be difficult and time consuming to find theentrance to the locking members on the support with the locking memberson the object, since the object is often heavy and must be carried whenlooking for the correct position.

The object of the present invention has been to eliminate this drawbackand at locking devices of the above type permit quick looking of theobject without difficulty by one person. This is arrived at according tothe invention by providing the abovementioned locking device with thecharacterizing features of claim 1.

By providing the locking device with these characterizing features, thelocking members of the object can be brought in engagement with thelocking members on the support by placing the object in position,whereafter it is easy to bring the locking members of the object inlocking positions relative to the locking members on the support bydisplacing said object somewhat when it is placed in position.

The invention will be further described below with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a locking device according to theinvention, the locking members of which are mounted on a support and onan object in the form of a computer;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the locking device of FIG. 1 when thelocking members on the computer engage the locking members on thesupport;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the locking device of FIG. 1 when thelocking members on the computer are moved together with the lockingmembers on the support such that said members can be locked againstdisplacement by means of a locking means;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, partly in section, showing two lockingmembers of the locking device moved together but not locked to eachother;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view, partly in section, of the same lookingmembers as in FIG. 4 moved together and locked to each other;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one of the locking members from theprevious figures;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another of said locking members from theprevious figures; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of locking members located in series andconnected to each other.

The locking device 1 illustrated in the drawings is adapted to lock anobject 2, e.g. a computer or another valuable object, relative to asupport 3, e.g. a table top or a floor. The locking device 1 includestwo locking members 4 and 6 anchored to the support 3 and two lockingmembers 5 and 7 anchored to the object 2. The locking members 4-7 can beanchored to the support 3 and object 2 by means of screw joints (notshown) and/or special tape with a large holding or retaining capacityand/or a binder with a large retaining capacity in order to preventunauthorized removal of the locking members 4-7.

The locking members 4 and 6 respectively, have grooves 8, 9 and thelocking members 5 and 7 respectively, have projections 10, 11, wherebysaid grooves 8, 9 and projections 10, 11 are designed such that saidprojections 10, 11 can be moved into said grooves 8, 9 and fit therein.Furthermore, the locking members 5, 7 on the object 2 are located sorelative to the locking members 4. 6 on the support 3 that by displacingthe object relative to the support 3, it is possible to insert theprojections 10, 11 of the locking members 5, 7 into the grooves 8, 9 ofthe looking members 4, 6 and then along said grooves in the direction ofdisplacement F. Hereby, two pairs 12 and 13 respectively, of lockingmembers are defined, of which one pair 12 consists of locking members 4end 5 and the other pair 13 of locking members 6 and 7. The lockingmembers in at least one of said pairs 12 and/or 13 of locking members(e.g. the looking members 4, 5 in pair 12), can be locked relative toeach other by means of at least one locking means 14 (see e.g. FIG. 3)so that said locking members 4, 5 are locked relative to each other suchthat they thereafter can not be displaced in relation to each other inthe direction of displacement F, which means that the object 2 can notbe moved relative to the support 3.

The locking members 4, 6 on the support 3 are also designed and providedsuch that either the groove 8 of one locking member 4 is open in a sidedirection S1 relative to the direction of displacement F, while thegroove 9 of the other locking member 6 is open in the opposite sidedirection S2 relative to the direction of displacement F. As analternative thereto, the locking members 4, 6 on the support 3 can bedesigned and provided such that the projection of one locking member isdirected in one side direction S1 relative to the direction ofdisplacement F, while the projection of the other locking member isdirected in the opposite side direction S2 relative to the direction ofdisplacement F. This alternative is not shown in the drawings, but meansthat the locking members 5, 7 provided on the object 2 instead aremounted on the support 3, while the locking members 4, 6 on the support3 instead are provided on the object 2.

The locking members 5, 7 on the object 2 are designed and provided suchthat either the projection 10 of one locking member 5 is directed in aside direction S2 relative to the direction of displacement F, while theprojection 11 of the other locking member 7 is directed in the oppositeside direction S1 relative to the direction of displacement F, or thatthe locking members 5, 7 on the object 2 are designed and mounted suchthat the groove of one locking member is open in one side direction S1relative to the direction of displacement F, while the groove of theother locking member is open in the opposite side direction S2 relativeto the direction of displacement F. This alternative is neither shown inthe drawings, but means that the locking members 4, 6 provided on thesupport 3 instead can be mounted on the object 2, while the lockingmembers 5, 7 provided on the object 2 instead can be mounted on thesupport 3.

The various locking members 4-7 are also adapted to each other such thatthe projections of the locking members on the object or the support,seen in said side directions S1, S2, either protrude from the outsideand inwards into or from the inside and outwards into the corresponinggrooves in the locking members on the support 3 or the object 2 (seee.g. FIG. 3).

Each locking member 4-7 is preferably U-shaped in cross section and theshanks 15, 16 on the locking member 4 are e.g. directed in the sidedirection S1 towards the locking member 6, while the shanks 17, 18 onthe locking member 6 are directed in the opposite side direction S2towards the locking member 4 (as is illustrated in the drawings).Alternatively, the shanks 15, 16 on the locking member 4 can be directedfrom the locking member 6 and the shanks 17, 18 on the locking member 6can be directed from the locking member 4.

The shanks 19, 20 on the locking member 5 provided on the object 2 aree.g. directed in the side direction S2 from the other locking member 7on the object 2, while the shanks 21, 22 on the other locking member 7provided on the object 2 are directed in the opposite side direction S1from the locking member 5. Alternatively, the shanks 19, 20 of thelocking member 5 can be directed towards the locking member 7 and theshanks 21, 22 of the locking member 7 be directed towards the lockingmember 5.

The shanks 15, 16 and 17, 18 respectively, of the locking members 4, 6define, seen in the side directions S1, S2, grooves 8, 9 that are opentowards each other, while one of the shanks 19-22 on each of the lockingmembers 5, 7 provided on the object 2 define, seen in said sidedirections S1, S2, projections 10, 11 which are directed from each otherand which engage the grooves 8, 9 of the locking members 4, 6.

Alternatively, the shanks 15-18 on the locking members 4, 6 on thesupport 3 can instead be directed from each other so that the grooves 8,9 instead are open in a direction from each other. The shanks 19-22 onthe locking members 5, 7 on the object 2 are then instead directedtowards each other such that one of these shanks can engage said grooves8, 9.

As a further alternative, the projections can instead be defined by thelocking members provided on the support 3 and the grooves in the lockingmembers on the object 2.

Each locking member 4-7 preferably is U-shaped in cross section. Thelocking member 4 on the support 3 is located such that its web portion23 is situated farthest away from the locking member 6 and the shanks15, 16 protruding from this web portion 23 are directed towards saidlocking member 6. The locking member 6 is placed such that the webportion 24 thereof is located farthest away from the locking member 4and the shanks 17, 18 protruding from said web portion 24 are directedtowards the locking member 4. Alternatively, the position of the lockingmembers 4, 6 can be turned around. The locking member 5 on the object 2is located such that its web portion 25 is situated closest to thelocking, member 7 and the shanks 19, 20 protruding from said web portionare directed from the locking member 7. The locking member 7 is locatedsuch that its web portion 26 is situated closest to the locking member 5and the shanks 21, 22 protruding from said web portion 26 are directedfrom the looking member 5.

Since the shanks of the locking members 4-7 are directed as definedabove, grooves 8, 9 are provided in the locking members 4, 6 mounted onthe support, which grooves are open towards each other in said sidedirections S1, S2, end projections 10, 11 are provided in the lockingmembers 5, 7 located on the object 2, which projections are directedaway from each other, in said side directions S1, S2, as is illustratedin the drawings, or are the grooves in the locking members 4, 6 on thesupport 3 instead directed away from each other while the projections onthe looking members 5, 7 on the object 2 are directed towards eachother.

On the locking members 4 and 6 respectively, the shanks 15 and 17respectively, define anchoring portions or parts of anchoring portionsthrough which said locking members 4, 6 is adapted to be mounted on thesupport 3. This can be done in various ways, e.g. by means of screws(not shown) which are not accessible for undoing when locking by meansof the locking members has occured and/or by means of a special tape(not shown) with a very good adhering or retaining capacity and whichare neither accessible for unauthorized removal.

In the web portion 23 of the locking member 4 there is provided a recess27 into which the locking means 14 can be inserted and in the webportion 25 of the locking member 5 there is provided a recess 28 intowhich a locking tooth 29 on the locking means 14 can be inserted. Byinserting the locking means 14 into the recess 27 of the locking member4 end turn the key (not shown), the locking tooth 29 is pivoted into therecess 28 of the locking member 5, whereby the locking device is lockedby preventing displacement of the locking members 4, 5 relative to eachother in the direction of displacement F.

In order to facilitate mounting especially when the locking members arehidden when they are moved together, they can be designed such that thelocking members 5, 7 on the object 2 can be moved together with thelocking members 4, 6 on the support 3 (or vice versa) in a connectingdirection N (see FIG. 1) transverse to the direction of displacement Funtil the locking members 5, 7 on the object 2 from above engage thelocking members 4, 6 on the support 3 in positions partially overlappingeach other (see FIG. 2) in such a way that the projections 10, 11 on thelocking members 5, 7 are situated in inserting positions adjacent to thegrooves 8, 9 of the locking members 4, 6 so that said locking members 4,6 guide the looking members 5, 7 for guiding the projections into thegrooves 8, 9 such that the object 2 and thus, its locking members 5, 7are displaced in the direction of displacement F relative to the lockingmembers 4, 6 on the support 3.

Preferably, the locking members 4-7 have recesses 30-33 in the shanks16, 18, 20, 22 which permit bringing together of the locking members 5,7 with the locking members 4, 6 in the connecting direction N. Theserecesses 30-33 are preferably designed as edge recesses in the outershanks 16, 18, 20, 22 and portions 34 of said shanks on both sides ofsaid edge recesses are dimensioned such that such portions 34 on thelocking members 5, 7 on the object 2 can be moved through the recesses30, 31 in the looking members 4, 6 on the support 3.

At least the looking member 7 can be provided with a guide groove 35which extends in the direction of displacement F and at least thelocking member 6 can be provided with a guide projection 36 which alsoextends in the direction of displacement F. Preferably, the guide groove35 is provided beside the projection 11 in the looking member 7 and theguide projection 36 is preferably provided beside the groove 9 in thelocking member 6. Furthermore, the guide projection 36 engage the guidegroove 35 when the locking members engage each other.

In order to render it more difficult to release or disconnect thelooking members 4-7, said members can be provided with inclined outersurfaces 37-44 on two opposing sides, which surfaces are located suchthat two locking members cooperating with each other, e.g. each pair 12,13 of locking members, have a shape which tapers from the support 3 in adirection towards the object 2.

The locking members 4-7 can be provided with devices 45 for connectingthe corresponding locking members in series and eventually for lockingthese locking members to each other. These devices can e.g. comprise ascrew 46 which protrudes through a hole in a locking member and which isscrewed into an adjacent locking member.

For release or disconnection of at first hand locking members which areanchored or fixed with tape or similar fixing or anchoring means, atleast one of the locking members 4-7 can be provided with at least onerecess (not shown) into which a releasing or disconnecting tool (notshown) for releasing or disconnecting the locking member can be insertedso that one can pivot the locking member therewith in a plane which isparallel with the surface onto which the locking member is attacheduntil the tape or similar loosens. This recess is accessible for theleasing tool preferably only when two locking members engaging eachother, are separated from each other.

Hereby, the recess can e.g. be provided in a shank 21 in a lookingmember 7 which when locked is brought in engagement with a lockingmember 6. By inserting the disconnecting tool into this recess andpivoting the locking member 7 e.g. back and forth in the plane of thesupport 3, the tape or similar fixing or holding the looking member 6 isbrought to loosen, since the guide groove 35 and the guide projection 36inserted therein for engagement ensure transfer of the pivoting force ofthe releasing tool from the locking member 7 to the locking member 6.The locking member 4 can be released or loosened in a similar way ifsaid member is designed such that the pivoting force from a releasing ordisconnecting tool can be transferred thereto. Reversed, the lockingmembers 5 and 7 can be released or loosened by means of locking members4 and 6 if these latter members are provided with recesses for releasingor disconnecting tools and the design of the locking members is suchthat the pivoting force can be transferred therebetween.

The locking device according to the invention is not limited to theembodiment described above and shown in the drawings, but may varywithin the scope of the following claims. As an example of variousalternatives, it should be mentioned that the support 3 can be a tabletop, a floor, a cabinet or some other suitable support and the object 2can be a data processing computer installation or some other objectwhich need to be locked relative to the support. There may be more thantwo locking members on the support and the object and more than one pairof locking members can be provided with one or more looking means. Eachlocking member in a pair of said members may eventually comprise a guidegroove (as is shown at the locking members 4, 5 in the pair 12 of saidmembers). When required, a separate guide rod can be placed in saidguide grooves, which rod engages both guide grooves simultaneously, i.e.the guide rod has the same function as the guide projection 36 on thelocking member 6. In many instances, the locking members in the pair 12of locking members are prevented from relative movement effective by thelocking means 14 between the locking members, while the locking membersin the other pair 13 thereof sometimes need to be guided relative toeach other with an extra guiding device 35, 36 as is shown in thedrawings.

I claim:
 1. Locking device for locking an article relative to a support,the locking device including a first locking member adapted to beanchored to the support and a second locking member adapted to beanchored to the article, the first locking member having a groove andthe second locking member having a projection, the second locking memberadapted to be brought to cooperate with the first locking member byinserting the projection into the groove and displacing the projectionin the groove in a direction of displacement, the locking membersadapted to be lockable relative to each other by locking means toprevent relative displacement of the locking members, characterized inthat the groove of the first locking member is open in a first sidedirection transverse to the direction of displacement, the projection ofthe second locking member is directed in an opposite second sidedirection relative to the direction of displacement, such that theprojection on the second locking member protrudes into the groove in thefirst locking member, further characterized in that at least one of thelocking members is provided with a recess which permits moving togetherthe second locking member with the first member in a connectingdirection transverse to the direction of displacement and transverse tothe side direction until the second locking member engages the firstlocking member in an orientation which partially overlaps each other insuch a way that the second locking member thereafter is displaceable inthe direction of displacement relative to the first locking member untilthe second locking member is locked to the first locking member. 2.Locking device for locking an article relative to a support, the lockingdevice including a first and a second locking member adapted to beanchored to one of the support and article and a third and a fourthlocking member adapted to be anchored to the other of the support andarticle, the first and second locking members having grooves and thethird and fourth locking members having projections, the third andfourth locking members adapted to be brought to cooperate with the firstand second locking members, respectively, by inserting the projectionsinto the grooves and displacing the projections in the grooves in adirection of displacement such that the first and third locking memberscooperate to form a first pair of locking members and the second andfourth locking members cooperate to form a second pair of lockingmembers, the first and third locking members adapted to be lockablerelative to each other by at least one locking means to prevent relativedisplacement of the first and third locking members, characterized inthat the groove of the first locking member is open in a first sidedirection transverse to the direction of displacement, while the grooveof the second locking member is open in an opposite second sidedirection transverse to the direction of displacement, wherein theprojection of the third locking member extends in the second sidedirection, while the projection on the fourth locking member extends inthe first side direction, further characterized in that at least two ofthe locking members are provided with recesses which permit movingtogether the third and fourth locking members with the first and secondlocking members, respectively, in a connecting direction transverse tothe direction of displacement and transverse to the first and secondside directions until the third and fourth locking members engage thefirst and second locking members, respectively, in positions whichpartially overlap each other in such a way that the third and fourthlocking members thereafter are displaceable in the direction ofdisplacement relative to the first and second locking members until thethird and fourth locking members are locked to each of the first andsecond locking members, respectively.
 3. Locking device according toclaim 2, characterized in that each locking member has an essentiallyu-shaped cross section, the first locking member having a first pair ofshanks extending in the first side direction, the second locking memberhaving a second pair of shanks extending in the second side direction,the third locking member having a third pair of shanks extending in thesecond side direction, the fourth locking member having a fourth pair ofshanks extending in the first side direction, whereby each of thelocking members have web portions which cooperate with a correspondingone of said pairs of shanks to define the grooves, which are opentowards each other, and the projections, which are directed from eachother, respectively.
 4. Locking device according to claim 3,characterized in that each of the pairs of shanks, on each lockingmember, comprises a first shank and a second shank, each of the firstshanks defining parts of anchoring portions through which the lockingmember is adapted to be mounted, the first and second shanks on firstand second locking members defining the grooves with the first andsecond shanks on the third and fourth locking members defining theprojections, the projections adapted to be fitted into the grooves,whereby the first shanks defining the parts of the anchoring portionsare wider than the second shanks on the locking members.
 5. Lockingdevice according to claim 3, characterized in that the web portion inthe first locking member is provided with a first opening into which thelocking means is insertable and that the web portion in the thirdlocking member is provided with a second opening into which a lockingtooth on the locking means is insertable.
 6. Locking device according toclaim 2, characterized in that the projections on the third and fourthlocking members are adapted to be located in inserting positionsadjacent to the grooves in the first and second locking members afterthe third and fourth locking members have been brought together with thefirst and second locking members in the connecting direction, such thatthe first and second locking members guide the third and fourth lockingmembers into the grooves when the third and fourth locking members aredisplaced in the direction of displacement relative to the first andsecond locking members.
 7. Locking device according to claim 2,characterized in that the fourth locking member is provided with a guidegroove which extends in the direction of displacement while the secondlocking member has a guide projection which extends in the direction ofdisplacement, wherein the guide projection is adapted to be adjacent tothe projection on the second locking member and the guide groove isadapted to be adjacent to the groove on the fourth locking member,whereby the guide groove and the guide projection engage each other whenthe projection and groove of the second and fourth locking membersengage each other.
 8. Locking device according to claim 2, whereby eachof the locking members are adapted to be attachable to the support or tothe article by attaching means.
 9. Locking device for locking an articlerelative to a support, the locking device including a first and a secondlocking member adapted to be anchored to one of the support and articleand a third and a fourth locking member adapted to be anchored to theother of the support and article, the first and second locking membershaving grooves and the third and fourth locking members havingprojections, the third and fourth locking members adapted to be broughtto cooperate with the first and second locking members, respectively, byinserting the projections into the grooves and displacing theprojections in the grooves in a direction of displacement such that thefirst and third locking members cooperate to form a first pair oflocking members and the second and fourth locking members cooperate toform a second pair of locking members, the first and third lockingmembers adapted to be lockable relative to each other by at least onelocking means to prevent relative displacement of the first and thirdlocking members, characterized in that the groove of the first lockingmember is open in a first side direction transverse to the direction ofdisplacement, while the groove of the second locking member is open inan opposite second side direction transverse to the direction ofdisplacement, wherein the projection of the third locking member extendsin the second side direction, while the projection on the fourth lockingmember extends in the first side direction, further characterized inthat at least two of the locking members are provided with recesseswhich permit moving together the third and fourth locking members withthe first and second locking members, respectively, in a connectingdirection transverse to the direction of displacement and transverse tothe first and second side directions, the recesses being designed asedge recesses in outer shanks of the two locking members, a portion ofeach outer shank being so dimensioned that each portion is movable inthe connecting direction through the recess in a corresponding lockingmember.
 10. Locking device for locking an article relative to a support,the locking device including a first and a second locking member adaptedto be anchored to one of the support and article and a third and afourth locking member adapted to be anchored to the other of the supportand article, the first and second locking members having grooves and thethird and fourth locking members having projections, the third andfourth locking members adapted to be brought to cooperate with the firstand second locking members, respectively, by inserting the projectionsinto the grooves and displacing the projections in the grooves in adirection of displacement such that the first and third locking memberscooperate to form a first pair of locking members and the second andfourth locking members cooperate to form a second pair of lockingmembers, the first and third locking members adapted to be lockablerelative to each other by at least one locking means to prevent relativedisplacement of the first and third locking members, characterized inthat the groove of the first locking member is open in a first sidedirection transverse to the direction of displacement, while the grooveof the second locking member is open in an opposite second sidedirection transverse to the direction of displacement, wherein theprojection of the third locking member extends in the second sidedirection, while the projection on the fourth locking member extends inthe first side direction, further characterized in that the lockingmembers are provided with means for connecting and locking correspondinglocking members in series to each other.
 11. Locking device for lockingan article relative to a support, the locking device including a firstand a second locking member adapted to be anchored to one of the supportand article and a third and a fourth locking member adapted to beanchored to the other of the support and article, the first and secondlocking members having grooves and the third and fourth locking membershaving projections, the third and fourth locking members adapted to bebrought to cooperate with the first and second locking members,respectively, by inserting the projections into the grooves anddisplacing the projections in the grooves in a direction of displacementsuch that the first and third locking members cooperate to form a firstpair of locking members and the second and fourth locking memberscooperate to form a second pair of locking members, the first and thirdlocking members adapted to be lockable relative to each other by atleast one locking means to prevent relative displacement of the firstand third locking members, characterized in that the groove of the firstlocking member is open in a first side direction transverse to thedirection of displacement, while the groove of the second locking memberis open in an opposite second side direction transverse to the directionof displacement, wherein the projection of the third locking memberextends in the second side direction, while the projection on the fourthlocking member extends in the first side direction, characterized inthat each of the locking members have opposing sides having inclinedouter surfaces which are located such that each of the pairs of lockingmembers have a shape which tapers from the support in a directiontowards the article.